Kachinas
Definition of Kachinas: What are Kachinas?
"Kachina" is a Hopi term that means a variety of
things, but it is most simply defined as sacred
and means 'Spirit Father'. The term 'Kachinas'
can refer to spirits, dancers and carved dolls:

Kachinas are spirits:
Deified ancestral spirits of the Pueblo people and
spirits of natural phenomena

Kachinas are dancers: A masked dancer believed to
embody a particular spirit during a religious
ceremony or ritual

Kachinas are costumed dolls: A carved doll wearing
the costume of a particular Pueblo spirit; usually
presented to a child as a gift

Information about Kachinas
Kachinas are powerful beings or spirits who, if
given due veneration and respect, could use
their magical powers for the good and well-being
of the people, bringing rainfall, healing,
fertility, or protection. There are more than
400 different types of kachinas in the Southwest
Indian Pueblo culture, and each Kachina holds
different powers and influence. Kokopelli is the
most famous of all the Kachina spirits. Kachinas
are understood as having human like
relationships and may marry and have children.
Kachinas can have brothers, uncles, sisters, and
grandmothers. Every Pueblo community has a local
pantheon of Kachinas that represent the spirits
of departed ancestors, spirits of nature,
celestial bodies, plants, insects, birds and
animals. Kachinas are believed to reside in the
pueblo for part of each year.

Kachinas - Kachina DollsThe
Kachina spirits are represented by dolls and
emulated at ceremonies, that are also called
called kachinas. The ceremonies consist of
rituals and dances in which the participants
wear masks and highly colorful costumes
depicting specific kachinas. The purpose of the
Kachina dolls are to teach children to identify
the various spiritual figures and the symbolism
of their regalia and costumes.

Kachinas - Kivas
Festivals, ceremonies and dances of the Pueblo
and Hopi tribes feature the Kachina dancers.
These celebrations and rituals are carefully
prepared in advance of the event. The
preparations for the Kachinas are made in a
Kiva which is
a special sacred building, usually built
underground, that is used for spiritual
ceremonies, religious rituals and ceremonial
preparations by the Pueblos and
are strongly associated with the Kachina belief
system. The Kiva is symbolic of the fourth
world, the home of the Kachina spirits.

Kachinas - Festivals, Ceremonies and DancesThe
Pueblo Indians have two cycles of ceremonies,
the summer dances and the winter dances, that
are performed to coincide with the Summer and
Winter solstices. Many of the rituals,
ceremonies and dances feature kachinas, or the Pueblo clowns or
Tricksters, called Koshare that are believed to
be the spirits of the dead and as departed souls
have the ability to intercede with the deities
in behalf of the living. The purpose of the
summer dance ceremonies is to bring rain for the
crops. The winter solstice dance ceremonies,
such as the Buffalo and Deer Dance, are strongly
associated with hunting, in which the Pueblo
harmonize with the animal world by imitating
animals as Kachinas in both dress and movement.
The Kachina dancers act as mediators between the
Kachina spirits and the Hopi people. Though
there are male and female Kachinas, all of the
Kachina dancers are male. The Kachina dancers
are believed to be invested by the specific
Kachina the male dancers portray. The following
ceremonies and festivals feature the dances and
costumes of the Kachinas:

The Powamu
(the Bean Dance) held in February to promote
fertility of the fields

Hopi Kachina Mask

Hopi Ceremony featuring
Angya kachinas

Hopi Kachina Mask

Names & Pictures of Hopi Kachinas
Deities of the Pueblo include the Spider Woman,
the mother of the twins Elder Brother and
Younger Brother, Tawa is the Sun spirit and
Masauwu is the ruler of the fourth world.
Kokopelli is the hump-backed flute player,
the trickster figure, embodying sexual desire
and fertility.

There
are many Kachinas that feature in Hopi
ceremonies and dances and some of them are
detailed below. Kokopelli is the most famous of
all the Kachinas.

Turkey Kachina

Buffalo Kachina

Mocking Bird

Bird Kachina

Wasp Kachina

Owl Kachina

Humming Bird

Hawk
Kachina

Bee Kachina

Snipe Kachina

Native American Culture -
Kachinas

Kachinas - Pueblo rituals and customs

Kachinas - Hopi
Culture of Pueblo Native Indians

Interesting facts and info about Kachinas for kids and schools

Information about Hopi Kachinas

Native American Hopi Culture and beliefs for kids

Description of Hopi Kachinas

Kachinas -
Pictures and Videos of Native Americans
Kachinas. Discover the vast selection of
pictures which relate to the History and Culture of Native Americans. The pictures show the clothing,
War
Paint, weapons
and decorations of various Native Indian tribes that can
be used as a really useful
educational history resource for kids and children of all ages.
We have included pictures and videos to accompany the
main topic of this section - Kachinas. The videos enable fast access to the
images, paintings and pictures together with information
and many historical facts. All of the articles
and pages can be accessed via the
Native Indian Tribes Index - a
great educational resource for kids.